Free Your Mind
by Abluvion
Summary: It takes place after the Inception job where the group lose Cobb and they must face the trivial future one step at a time. this story follows Ariadne and Arthurs struggle with their loss.
1. Calm Like A Bomb

**_Authors Note ; _**

_Both Inception and it's characters do not belong to me, they belong to Chris Nolan_

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I was waiting in a hotel room. The lights were giving off a faint glow and scenes were flashing before my eyes.

"Quick, give me a kiss"

Arthur, he was the only thing that kept me sane in all of this dreaming. It was a rush, getting put under, seeing buildings rise before your eyes, watching rivers flow in the air, watching cars scale buildings, seeing the impossible produced before your eyes. I loved my job, the architect, kind of has a ring to it, doesn't it? I'd like to think that I have the greatest job in the world; I get to create the impossible, mazes no man could escape, puzzles no man could solve.

It was awfully terrifying though. Arthur stayed close by my side on my first Job, Inception. Planting an idea in the simplest form, kind of makes you want to scream at the top of your lungs, spill all your secrets.

The thought of someone being able to steal my secrets frightens me, but Arthur is always there. I've always wondered why he stayed so close by my side, I wonder if he just helps me so it can get the job done faster, most likely.

The warm glow of the light disappeared as I detached myself from my fond memories, slowly slipping back into the room I was in, I really shouldn't have started to daydream, but it was so like the old days that I couldn't help it.

A man's hand gently grabbed my shoulder and spun me to face him. He tenderly grabbed my wrist with his other hand and placed it on the side of his face.

It was Arthur.

I couldn't understand why he had turned off the light but somehow it felt right.

Until he began to speak.

"I want you Ariadne; I need you to keep me sane"

He grasped my hand in his and squeezed tight.

His hands were soft, too soft to be that of a man. I tried to pull away, sensing something terrible.

The light flickered on and I watched as Arthurs face slowly morphed into Mals. I was repulsed by the sight.

I could only stare as she drew her hand over her head, a glistening knife shining in her tight grip. She swung down and I let myself go. Dying in a dream was an odd thing, you felt the pain of death but once you 'let go' as such, you simply woke up from your dream, well, unless you were too far into a dream, say, 3 dreams in or so, you would then fall into Limbo, the same place where Cobb and Mal had spent 50 years together.

I woke up screaming.

I ripped the line from my arm and realized that my face was wet and both my hands and knees were shaking uncontrollably.

My eyes darted from side to side; searching for something I couldn't know myself until I saw it. I needed warmth, I needed someone to hold me, and I was frightened and needed someone.

My eyes focused on a familiar figure and I screamed.

Arthur rushed over and reached a hand over to my shoulder, on impulse I smacked his hand away much to his surprise.

I couldn't understand why I did it really, It just sort of happened.

Arthur spoke up at that point and mumbled something about having to go work on a project. I really didn't want him to leave for some reason so I quickly reached for my golden totem and felt its weight, placed it on the table beside me and flicked it, watching it tip immediately.

Feeling reassured I quickly rushed over to Arthur and threw my arms around his tense body, I could feel him relax under my touch, I could feel the warmth of his breath on my hands, his hair brushing against my nose, the sharp smell of his cologne. I quickly took in every small thing about holding him and released my grasp on him.

I was turning to leave when he grabbed my wrist, this time with rough, warm hands. He swung me around to face him and pulled me close. I could feel his lips pressed into my hair, his arms felt strong and his chest slowly rose and fell, his heart beating through his chest, his breath brushing my forehead.

I melted into his body, and it felt so good.


	2. Complexity

**Authors Note ;**

_I love all of your reviews and hope for more on this, I'd like to write another fanfic I just don't know what to use. I may do a Song-Fic on Ariadne and Arthur._

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We never really mentioned all that had happened during our Inception job, it wasn't our place to speak of it. We all knew that Cobb was gone, we just couldn't comprehend it.

Arthur still went on extraction jobs every so often, sometimes dragging Eames or myself along, not to say that I didn't relish for his company, it just never felt the way it did with Cobb. There was a lack of successful jobs, even with Arthurs and Eames skills we hardly ever succeeded in stealing another man's secrets.

We would usually die and wake up before the job was complete if it was too complex. It seemed as though Arthur had lost his touch. And I really couldn't blame him for our failure either; Cobb left us alone without any thought of what we would do after that job.

We understood that Cobb was going to leave us after he got off the plane; we just never thought it would be permanent, but now that he's stuck in Limbo all I can do is cry and dream terrible dreams.

There was another thing bothering me as well, It was Mal. She always joins me in my dreams, it's only my subconscious' version of her but, it's terrifying me. She shouldn't be able to reach me in my dreams, there just so complex, but then again she is part of my subconscious.

'Ariadne!'

I looked up to realize that I slacking off on my job, day dreaming once again.

Eames was standing next to my table in the Warehouse, scrutinizing my work. I could have spoken up and defended my hard work but truthfully, it was the worst job I had ever done. I was distracted from my job when I shouldn't have been, I prepared for a scolding from him.

'We all understand that you're mourning for Cobbs death'

'No! he's not dead, he's not dead, he's not dead'

I pleaded with Eames, I knew I was just kidding myself but, I wanted to believe that the body we had to carry off that plane was alive and would soon strode into the warehouse, head held high, scolding us for doing such a bad job in his wake.

Eames just shook his head and began to depart, but before he could do so another figure appeared in the doorway.

Arthur.

I felt strangely at ease when he entered the room, but when I got a good look at his face I noticed that his features were hardened and he didn't look the least bit happy.

I began to walk toward him on impulse, because I knew that he would listen to me because of our moment as such last night.

That was not the case.

As I approached him he simply turned back on to both myself and Eames and spoke up.

'Eames, please finish distracting her from her poor job and finish your own'

His voice had a mocking tone to it; It wasn't like Arthur to act like we were such a burden to him. Something must have happened to him. It was the only plausible answer I could think of.

I had yet to realize that it was my actions last night that had triggered this sour mood of his.

I went back to work, puzzled by his mocking demeanour. I bent over a maze, it was truly exquisite, but it wasn't difficult to escape, there lay my issue.

I hadn't an inkling of imagination left in me since Cobb left us. And I was slowly going mad.

I couldn't think properly let alone create a maze entirely from nothing. It couldn't be done in my state, and even I knew that.

Instead of continuing on with my project like Arthur had assumed I would I left that room, feeling too closed in to work. Before I knew it my body was leading itself toward an open room with two lawn chairs and a small table.

One chair was occupied by a familiar figure; the other was empty, looking bare and uninviting.

It was strange to see Arthur dreaming on the job, he was usually researching various things.

I walked over to him, barely making a sound, and sneaked a look at the timer.

10 minutes was what it read.

I grinned.

This was my chance to find out what he had been hiding from me and Eames this morning.

I began to hook myself up to the small machine in the briefcase, slipping the instrument into my arm and I gently lay back waiting for the dream to hit me.

His dream wasn't what I had expected at all.

He was dreaming using a memory.

A memory both of us shared.


	3. Don't Touch Her

**Authors Note ;**

_This chapter kind of drew a blank for me, but it isn't what you expected right xD_

_It's terribly written but look forward to the final chapter in the next few days!_

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His dream took place the night after we got off of the plane where we incepted Fischer's mind.

It was dark and I knew that I was intruding on something that was special to Arthur, and if he spotted me I knew nothing could ever blossom between us.

In the corner of the room I could make out his figure, he was tense, rigid, wearing a dress shirt and tight dress pants, and I was sure that if he turned around I would see a straight white tie to compliment his bright red shirt.

He always looked so good in everything he wore; I was envious of him for that. He was handsome, and sometimes he was so good looking I could hardly breathe when he brushed past me.

Slowly, the scenery began to register with me, and Arthur was not the only thing in the dream.

A hotel room.

It had white washed walls, a bright white comforter and golden lights casting a glow on the hotel room.

It was odd that he hadn't noticed me but in any case, I stayed pressed against the wall, sitting in the corner of the barely lit room.

I watched his movements closely; he was pacing from one side of the room to the next. I wanted to go over and comfort him but he was waiting for the projection of me and he would surely be mad at me.

Only moments had passed when I heard a familiar, timid knock on the door; Arthur took a deep breath and walked over to the door, no longer hesitant to swing the door wide open.

I knew what would happen next without even watching it.

I knew that my projections arms would soon be around his neck, my head pressed against his strong chest, breathing in his smell. His lips would then be on mine, his hand caressing me as the tears ran down my face.

I didn't like the way it looked at all, it looked as though he was with another woman and I couldn't bare it any longer.

On impulse I did the one thing I shouldn't have done.

I screamed.

"Arthur don't touch her!"

He let go of my projection and slowly turned to face me, the anger burning in his eyes. I clasped my hands over my mouth and backed up until I could go no further.

_Shit shit shit._

But since I was watching Arthurs every move I hadn't noticed my projection slinking closer, wearing an expression that I never could have worn, never in a million years.

She was inching closer but my eyes were only for Arthur, I noticed a few small tears creeping out through his strong glare, I felt so bad.

A hand grabbed my throat and pressed me further against the wall.

I gasped for air but it was no use, my lungs would only hold on for so long.

I sneaked a look in Arthur's direction and saw that he was making no effort to help me.

So, he just wanted me to leave the dream.

"Fine... I'll leave"

I mumbled those words with my last breath and slipped away.

I jolted awake soon after my last breath left me.

_Shit._

I looked to my left and noticed that Arthur was still sound asleep.

I asked myself a thousand times over.

_Why would I do that to him?_


	4. Never

He woke up a few moments later, but I was already gone.

I was running away, I couldn't believe it myself but yeah, i was running from the scene of my crime.

I felt so guilty, I mean, hadn't Cobb firmly told us to never peek in on someone else's dreams.

God, I was so stupid.

I looked over my shoulder at the building that was slowly becoming a speck in my rearview mirror.

I would never let him find me.

Never.


End file.
